Category: Ports

SACRAMENTO—Highlighting the importance of goods movement and international trade, California State Transportation Agency Secretary Brian P. Kelly today signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Communications and Transportation of the United Mexican States that establishes an oversight committee to monitor construction of a new port of entry at Otay Mesa.

“The fact that Mexico is entering into an agreement with California to improve our shared port of entry reflects the important role of international trade and commerce between California and Mexico,” said California State Transportation Agency Secretary Brian P. Kelly. “This partnership between Mexico and California will help strengthen our land connection and the tens of billions of dollars in commerce that flows through our mutual border.”

Under today’s agreement, a bi-national, multiagency oversight committee will be formed to facilitate policy issues and review major milestones during ongoing project development of the new Otay Mesa East Port of Entry. The committee will focus on financing and revenue sharing, reducing air pollution and congestion, project management coordination and ensuring appropriate staffing for safety, security and efficiency of the ports of entry.

The State Route 11 / Otay Mesa East Port of Entry project, which is estimated to cost around $750 million, is being built in four segments and the first segment began construction in December 2013. Meanwhile, the Mexican Communications and Transportation Ministry is preparing to construct two direct access roadways and the new Otay II Port of Entry in the city of Tijuana, Baja California.

Otay Mesa East-Otay II is a flagship border infrastructure project with the objective of fostering bilateral trade in the Baja California-California region by reducing waiting times through a single and efficient binational operation and the extended and innovative use of technology. Since the beginning of the project, the State of California, the Communications and Transportation Ministry and the San Diego Association of Governments have developed collaborative efforts on a variety of tasks such as binational infrastructure planning and coordination, intelligent transportation systems and environmental protection. This MOU strengthens cooperation and supports the effective delivery of this new port of entry.

Here is a map of the ongoing and planned construction activities to improve and build a new port of entry:

OTAY MESA EAST CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

In 2013, approximately $50 billion worth of goods moved across California-México land ports of entry, of which more than $35 billion flowed through the San Diego-Tijuana region ports of entry. Unfortunately, bottlenecks at the existing Otay Mesa Port of Entry, the San Diego-Tijuana region’s only commercial border crossing, and the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the busiest land border crossing in the world, regularly create wait times exceeding two hours per vehicle.